Time
by NovelistServant
Summary: Have you ever wondered, "Have my ancestors ever met, and never thought that they would be part of a big family?" Friendships can last more than one lifetime, and strengthen.


The great day-circle had set below the trees and the sky was turning dark with little unnamed jewels sparkling, like fireflies stuck in the big, black stuff that appeared when the bib bright ball went to sleep, and the great night-circle took it's place. It was the time of day where most day-time creatures were tucking themselves safely away until dawn, and when night-time creatures were awaking from their dreamful slumber.

One bunny looked up at the sky turning from pink to black and grew scared for her life. Nevermind, nevermind. She'd be fine; it wasn't too far from home and nothing would happen. She walked on her four paws quietly and weaved in and out of the trees, keeping herself down in the dry grass.

One fox sniffed from where he laid hidden. Something smelled good, really good! It made his fur spike and his muzzle drool. He was so hungry! It had been days since his last scrap of meat! He had to be successful tonight, or face starvation. He sniffed to detect the meal's location and he silently crawled in the tall grass and followed his nose.

She realized how thirsty she was. Very much so. She heard the rushing of cool water and looked to her right to see the familiar stream a ways off from her burrow, but she calculated her time and the discomfort she would face if she didn't drink, and she thought it was worth the risk to stop and drink.

And so the grey doe hopped over to the creak and bent her little head down and slurped up some water. It was cool and wet and felt good on her grey fur and in her mouth and down her throat. She felt better and kept drinking.

He could practically see her as he came closer, the smell getting stronger. His claws lengthened for power and the earth above him did not shift. He crept closer to the stream and saw her little, fluffy tail hoisted high. His target was set and still. He got, if it was possible, even lower into the ground and his stomach gave a little growl of hunger, of longing.

She sat up, her ear high and drops of water falling down from her chin. He grew fearful, but did not stray. He had to try! He still had a shot! Her senses were on point and her instincts were in full gear! They saved her before and would do it again!

She ran faster than light the very moment he pounced. He landed on the edge of the creak and immediately sped after the racing rabbit. She dared not to look back! Never look back, or risk not seeing ahead of you and fall! Don't slip or you'll fall prey to you enemy! That was the lesson she was taught and what she would teach her keen and what they would teach there's. Nothing would ever change.

The fox used all of his skills to chase her! His sense of smell, his speed, his night-vision! His family depended on his success! He dodged trees and bushes and dens to go after her! She was scared and kept running for her life! She kept looking ahead and she finally saw her burrow! She didn't allow herself to get hopeful or cocky, she simply found a target.

It was all a challenge of speed, now. The fox was fast, but so was the bunny. It was a straight line! The fox grew closer, and closer, and closer to her tail. If he could just bite the tail alone…

WHAM! The fox fell and rolled a little before getting back on all paws and shaking his pounding head. He fought past the ache and clawed at the hole on the side of the hill, far too small of him and the rabbit was far too deep in it. He still had to try, but he felt nothing but dirt as he clawed at it.

Should he just sit and wait? No, the bunny was not foolish. He couldn't waste time here. He had three children and a mate to feed, let alone his own. Forget the dumb bunny, he'd find food somewhere else. He walked away, and she watched carefully until she could see him no more, and then she finally collapsed and breathed at peace.

~

The taxes only grew and so did the poor people's hunger. And their thirst for freedom grew as well, unlike their hope. Their hope was like a flower wilting in the desert; though it may beg for rain, all that will be given is the harsh sun. That big-headed wolf was doing the dirty work for the government happily, and everywhere he walked he felt behind a trail of hopelessness and starvation.

Jane nearly snapped in half with anger as she watched him go by. He came down the road, closer and closer to the little hut of a house. Lots of her younger siblings were outside in the yard playing, but slowed down to a halt at the sight of the sheriff. Jane preyed that he would walk past them, but he didn't.

He walked right inside, past Jane, and up to Jane's mother, asking for their tax-money. They didn't have nearly enough to pay, but she had no choice but to give all she had. He walked out with a chuckle and told her to "keep saving". Stupid wolf. Stupid taxes. Stupid ole prince! Jane was so mad that she could just spit! No, no, no! Perish the thought! Since when did Jane allow her anger to boil so?

Jane watched him go and she caught eye of a neighbor watching him, too. She recognized that fox: Nathaniel Wilde, a tailor that lived across the dirt road from the big home. Funny, the two never talked, suspecting that they would never get alone, but he was never an enemy, nor a friend. It was best just to mind each other's own business.

But something was different about his eyes. Even with the distance that separated the two, Jane could tell that something was different with those pair of green eyes. He was… thinking? Well, it's what a fox does best, after all. But of what, exactly?

The doe's mother called her in to help with the house, and so Jane tore her own eyes away from the frowning fox and went into the busy hut to do female's work.

~

He was sick of it! He had enough! He had it up to his fluffy, red-orange tail with it! The discrimination against predators, the injustice laws, the crummy job with little pay! This was no way to make a living! He was gone, he's out of here, he's done!

The fox walked up the plank of wood and onto the gentle-rocking boat. Strange, he anticipated being a little dizzy or sick, but he quite enjoyed it for some odd reason. No matter, just off to a good start on a journey!

He swung his little bag off of his shoulder and down on a barrel of wine. He landed his crossed arms on the edge and looked down at his old home. No, this place was never his home. Just because he was born and raised there, doesn't mean he belonged there. He and many other predators had heard of a new city where predators and prey lived in peace, a city called Zootopia.

Killing time, the fox watched as predators departed for the sea. Some said goodbye to family members, hoping to find homes and jobs for them first, and then send money for them to buy the boat and train tickets and come, too. Some, like the fox, were alone and coming on after saying goodbye to friends. Some didn't have any friends to say farewell to.

The male fox observed things other mammals wouldn't look twice at, but that's how he learned so quickly and knew so much. A boar carried crated onto a different ship, a smaller one for fish. A pig in a suit hurried by, dropping papers as he went, undoubtedly late for work, possibly a meeting. A grey rabbit walked by with an umbrella covering her from the sun, a brown male holding her arm. The fox sneered at the two love-bunnies on a date. One would call them cute.

The bell rang loudly and the crew worked to set the boat free to go. The fox looked down at the dock and saw the gap between it and the boat grow bigger and bigger. He looked up at the radiant, blue sky and the puffy, white clouds. He thought of cotton-candy. It had been years since he had some. In Zootopia he could probably afford all the cotton-candy he wanted!

He walked away from the edge facing the disappearing city and went to the one looking out towards the sea. The wind was crisp in his fur and the smell of the salty-water filled his muzzle pleasantly. An adventure awaited the young man, and he was looking forward to it!

~

Jasmine turned up the radio at the sound of The Virginians' ole song, "Nothing Could Be Sweeter". It was a good song to work along to and she tapped her foot along to the music. There she sat, her desk in the sun the window provided, typing some papers for Mr. Wilde. Secretary, to a good business man like Nehemiah Wilde! Oo, would her sisters be jealous, stuck back on the farm going dishes and laundry!

Of course, most of the money she made being a secretary went back to the family in Bunnyburrow, but all the same, the excitement in Zootopia and the jazz and the buzzing of the city could make anyone smile! She was proud to work for her family and be of some help in their time of need. Ever since the country was told it had nothing to fear but fear itself, Jasmine had been working very hard during this Great Depression to keep her job and provide for her family, be more than a maid and babysitter!

It wasn't easy. The fear of the money to stop coming was always there and Mr. Wilde didn't trust the banks anymore, but they worked hard and they were thriving, though barely. The morning paper came through the mail-slot of the door and Jasmine got up from her desk and grabbed the rolled-up paper.

She went up to the office-door and knocked, soon answered with a "Come in, Hopps."

The bunny did as she was told and saw her boss sitting at his desk with a cup of coffee in by his paw and a lit cigarette clamped in his sharp teeth. He smiled kindly at the sight of his friendly worker with his newspaper in her paws and said,

"Ah, yes. Thank you, Mrs. Hopps. That'll do for now."

"Yes, sir." She said and laid the paper down on the check and went off to complete her work.

She sighed when the door closed and sat on her desk. She hated to have to work for a fox, mostly because she kept his boss' species a secret from her family, or risk being pulled out of the city. She loved her job, and even grew fond of her boss, as a boss.

She still hated the fact that he was a fox and simply wanted him to be something else. A giraffe, or a sheep, or even another bunny! Just not a fox! Jasmine had to push her discomfort aside and work for her family. Not long now and she'll be able to go home and maybe even marry that cute bunny she had liked for years. That is, it he had the guts to ask her.

Nehemiah unrolled his paper and the headline, saying how another act had been passed in order to try to fix things. He growled, thinking it wouldn't help at all, and he turned to the next page angrily.

"Hoover, Roosevelt, what does it matter?" The fox growled quietly to himself. "Nothing will change."

~

"Hey, watch where you're going, Fox!"

Nick walked away from the sheep and the way he spat out the last word, meaning it to be a insult, an insult to be a certain species. So what? He was used to it, it didn't even matter anymore. He just wanted to get into the ice-cream parlor and make that money.

He stood by the window of the eating-establishment and waited for an elephant to walk by and open the door so he and his little friend could slip right in. It was better that way. Some won't care that he wanted to buy a big pop, but some do mind, and it was best to keep a low, innocent profile.

A female elephant came back from the restroom and got behind Nick and Finnick while the male elephant in blue ordered. Once that was said in done, it took the server a little while to look down and see the two smaller mammals.

"Hi." Nick said with a smile and a little wave. "One Jumbo pop, please."

The elephant gave him a dark look, like he expected the fox to pull out a gun or something, and answered sternly with, "Listen, I don't know what you're doing scoping around during day-light hours, but I don't want any trouble in here! So hit the road!"

"I'm not looking for any trouble either, sir." Nick answered exhaustedly. "I simply wanna buy a Jumbo pop, for my little boy." He added a gestured to his partner-in-crime dressed as a toddler. He bent down and asked Finnick, "You want the red or the blue, Pal?"

He waddled over to the display of colors and pointed to the bright red glittering in the window.

The elephant was unmoved by this and waved his trunk at the "child". "Oh, come on, Kid. Back up." He looked back down at the red fox and asked, "Listen, buddy. What, there aren't any fox ice-cream joints in your part of town?"

"Uh, no, no. There are, there are." Nick answered honestly. That would be the last honest thing he said in that parlor. "It's just, my boy – this doofy, little stinker – he loves all things elephant, wants to be one when he grows up." While he spoke, Finnick pulled the hood of his one-piece over his head and it showed to be elephant-PJs. "Is that adorable?" Nick asked the elephant as Finnck added to the curtness by giving a pitiful little toot. "Who the heck am I to crush his little dreams, hu? Right?" Nick asked with a sweet smile.

"Look, you probably can't read, Fox," The elephant said angrily and slammed the sign in between them, which Nick could plainly read. "But the sign says, 'We reserve the right to refuse service TO ANYONE!" So beat it!"

"You're holding up the line." The female elephant added and nearly stepped on the two to get closer to the counter and shove them aside.

The plan was not going well today. Time for code red! The back-up plan! Finnck gave a tearful little cry and just before Nick could burst into a speech that would guilt them into giving them a popsicle, a voice behind him spoke.

"Hello?" A grey, bunny-cop said and stepped up. "Excuse me."

"Hey, you're gonna have your turn just like everyone else, Meter Maid." The elephant scolded.

"Actually, I'm an officer." The rabbit said and pulled back her vest to reveal a shiny ZPD badge. "Just had a quick question: are your customers aware, they're getting snot and mucus mixed with their cookies n' cream?"

At this, a couple was romantically sharing that exact flavor and the male spit it all over his date. At first, the elephant tried to play dumb, but unfortunately, that was something the officer was not.

"Well, I don't wanna cause you any trouble, but I believe scooping ice-cream with an ungloved trunk in a Class 3 health-code violation." The officer said and a worker dropped a scoop and wiped his trunk nervously. "Which is kind of a big deal." The bunny added. "Of course, I could let you off with a warning if you were to glove those trunks, and… I dunno… finish selling this ncie dad and his son a… what was it?" She asked the fox.

"A Jumbo pop." Nick answered. "Please."

"A Jumbo pop." The rabbit said, and with one last toot of Finnick's trunk, Nick had to pay $15 for the dessert.

He was going to. He had planned to, but he had seen something on her belt and it took aoo he had not to call the dumb bunny out and walk out. But, this girl needed to be taught a lesson, see the world for what it really was. She thought he was only a sly fox? Fine. So be it. She'd have to pay. Literally.

Nick pulled an outstanding performance of not having his wallet in his possession, and it a few simple steps towards the door, she jumped up on the counter and spent $20 on a lie. They walked out together and exchanged names and a paw-shake, and after the bunny gave a pitiful sticker and not-at-all-received lesson to Finnick, they were off to melt their buy and make money.

As they walked, Nick knew exactly what to do. He'd make sure that bunny – what was her name again, Hopps wasn't it? – saw him doing what she truly expected him to do, and have Officer Judy Hopps face the ugly truth. That nothing would ever change.

~

Victory walked down the sidewalk that cut over the grass with her fur smelling of paint and her clothes a mess, but she had just finished another painting in her studio and was proud of how it came out, but her legs needed a walk after staying in that room for so long.

It was nice to paint again instead of writing nonstop. She wondered if they would be pleased with her for doing this. Yes, she knew they would be. Her parents died at different times, but when she was in her mid-thirties, she was alone. Well, that's not true. She had Matt and her god-family, the Biggs, but they were gone.

However, maybe through their story, her story, her words, they would live on for many years to come. Years ago, before the raccoon was born, they were known for the Nighthowler case. Today they were known as the first rabbit and fox officers. Tomorrow, they would be known as so much more.

She was getting her story published and the grand opening for her book was tomorrow at Barns & Nobles, and from there it would spread. Victory was proud and excited for the depth of their story to be told. Most people only knew a scrap of the surface. Time for more to be heard.

The artist walked by the park and had learned from her adoptive father to be observant, particularly at things other mammals wouldn't look twice at, but that's how one can learn quickly and knew so much. Victory saw children playing freely, couple of different and same species, elders enjoying their remaining days.

One couple, one that struck the raccoon, was a grey bunny and a red fox, just talking, just talking, under a tree on a bench. The fox had green eyes, and the bunny had purple eyes, but other than that, they looked nothing like her parents. But still, it broke her heart and made her smile at the same time.

Times had changed. Lions and gazelles were together, foxes and rabbits, cheetahs and wolves. Women weren't just used to raise kids and get chores done. They were more. Predators weren't persecuted like they once were; they had rights and respect. No one walked on fours anymore; everyone was anthropomorphic. No, the world was perfect, things would never be perfect, but things were better than they once were.

The sun had begun to set below the trees and the sky would soon turn dark with little jewels sparkling and the moon would take the ball of fire's place. It was the time of day where most day-time workers were tucking themselves safely away until dawn and going home, and when night-time workers were preparing themselves for a long night and breaking away from their dreamful slumber.

Victoria walked out of the park and towards her shared condo for home, where a meal would await her and the love of her life.


End file.
